Tempers flare after Tuesday accident

Five people escaped injury following a three-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon at First and Champa in Pratt.

The accident, that was paged out at 1:08 p.m., happened when an eastbound 2001 Dodge Durango, driven by Colby Craig, 22 of Pratt, attempted to make a left turn onto Champa from the outside lane to avoid a semi.

The Durango struck the drivers' side front fender of a westbound 2013 Chevy Silverado driven by Kent Boles, 56 of St. John, who was traveling in the inside lane.

The force of the impact pushed the pickup into the curb at First and Champa. Following the Ford pickup was a 2007 Ford Taurus driven by Dennis Steinert, 65 of Pratt, who was in the outside lane. Steinert pulled to the right to avoid the collision and hit the curb at the corner hard. Steinert's vehicle was barely scratched on the driver's side front finder. The other two vehicles suffered extensive damage.

Every one involved in the accident refused transport including Craig and his passenger Russell McAnarney, 22 of Pratt, Boles and his passenger Jenny Lerch, 26 of Dodge City, and Steinert.

An altercation followed the accident where one driver struck another but details and identification is not being released at this time, said Pratt Police Investigator Chris Chisham.